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14 taken to area hospitals, 1 by air

Published: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at 11:44 AM.

The pedestrian ferry runs between the Deep Point Marina in Southport to the shores of Bald Head Island. The ride is about 20 minutes, according to the ferry website.

Dosher Memorial Hospital spokesman Kirk Singer said "at least some of the patients" have been brought to his hospital, but the number of patients and the status of their injuries was not immediately known.

A passenger told WWAY NewsChannel 3 over the phone that the ferry came to a sudden stop, throwing passengers around the boat. Some who were sitting inside hit tables, the person said.

Fourteen people were injured this morning when the Bald Head Island Ferry ran aground off Battery Island, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Passenger Matthew Fleming of Supply said it was like "hitting a brick wall," when the Bald Head Island Ferry ran aground on a sandbar near Battery Island about 9 a.m.

"We were cruising along. I figure it was full throttle," a shaken and limping Fleming said as he came ashore from a Coast Guard rescue boat two hours after the wreck. "It was a dead stop."

Fleming was among 50 passengers and three crew members aboard "The Adventure," a 64-foot pedestrian ferry that runs between Bald Head Island and the Deep Point Marina in Southport.

He was inside the passenger compartment with several others, when a short time into it's fourth trip of the morning from Deep Point Marina, the boat ran aground. The impact sent several people "flying," including himself, said Fleming. He said he saw some passengers bloodied as a result.

Fourteen people were taken from the scene with injuries. At least 11 of those were taken to Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport and two were taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center, one of whom was flown by air because of a potential serious injuries, said Brunswick County spokeswoman Amanda Hutcheson.

According to a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard's 5th District Public Affairs, the ferry called the Coast Guard for medical assistance about 9 a.m.

The Coast Guard dispatched crews from Coast Guard Station Oak Island and the Coast Guard Cutter Bayberry was also diverted to assist.

The crew of the Bayberry used their shallow water skiff to rescue 14 passengers from The Adventure and transfer them to smaller rescue boats. The rescue boats then took the injured passengers to Deep Point Marina. Fleming said it took some time for the Coast Guard rescuers to get on board because of the shallow water.

During a lunchtime press conference, Lt. Lane Munroe, command center chief of Coat Guard Sector North Carolina, declined to be drawn into potential reasons for the grounding.

"It would be false to try and speculate right now," he said.

Munroe added that the Coast Guard would be leading the investigation into the incident, which could take anywhere from a few days to several months.

Officials have said the injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. At least three victims were strapped to backboards and physically secured. All three were wearing neck braces or were otherwise stabilized.

Dosher Memorial Hospital spokesman Kirk Singer said "at least some of the patients" have been brought to his hospital, but the number of patients and the status of their injuries was not immediately known.

Medical personnel from Southport, Oak Island, Brunswick County and St. James set up at dock A at Deep Point Marina in Southport.

Fleming said he was going to take himself to the hospital to have his leg and back checked out.

"My nerves are shot," he said.

As of Tuesday afternoon the Adventure was stranded on a sand bar near Battery Island.

The Coast Guard's Munroe said Bald Head Island Limited, the ferry's operator, would try to refloat and remove the vessel Wednesday morning during high tide.

The crew along with members of the Coast Guard were onboard the ferry Tuesday afternoon checking the stability of the vessel, he added.

Several people were injured this morning when the Bald Head Island Ferry ran aground off Battery Island, but none of the injuries are life-threatening, said Joyce Fulton, director of communications for Bald Head Island Limited, which operates the ferry.

Fulton said the accident happened as the ferry, The Adventure, was departing Deep Point Marina for the 20-minute 9 a.m. route to Bald Head Island. The cause of the accident is under investigation, she said.

Fulton did not immediately know how many people were on board or the extent of the injuries, but she disputed earlier reports that passengers were thrown overboard when the boat ran aground in the vicinity of Battery Island.

"That is absolutely not accurate," she said.

Fulton said the Coast Guard is heading up the rescue efforts and by 10:49 a.m. reports indicated all people onboard the boat had been rescued.

"There appear to be about 10 injuries on board, nothing life-threatening," said Southport Mayor Robert Howard. "We've sent out police officers to help them at Deep Point."

The pedestrian ferry runs between the Deep Point Marina in Southport to the shores of Bald Head Island. The ride is about 20 minutes, according to the ferry website.

Dosher Memorial Hospital spokesman Kirk Singer said "at least some of the patients" have been brought to his hospital, but the number of patients and the status of their injuries was not immediately known.

A passenger told WWAY NewsChannel 3 over the phone that the ferry came to a sudden stop, throwing passengers around the boat. Some who were sitting inside hit tables, the person said.